


Sssh, c’mere

by respoftw



Series: Tumblr Prompts - McShep edition [25]
Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Comfort, Episode Tag, Episode: s02e14 Grace Under Pressure, First Kiss, M/M, Panic Attacks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-06
Updated: 2019-04-06
Packaged: 2020-01-05 16:35:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18369878
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/respoftw/pseuds/respoftw
Summary: “It is Rodney.  He is - - The jumper bay, Colonel.  Please come.  Over and out.”





	Sssh, c’mere

**Author's Note:**

  * For [popkin16](https://archiveofourown.org/users/popkin16/gifts).



> Popkin tagged me in a list of angsty dialogue prompts and then asked for me to fill the prompt: “Sssh, c’mere”
> 
> I tried to make it angst lite!

“Dr Zelenka to Colonel Sheppard.Come in, please.Over.”

 

John chuckled as he put down his golfing magazine and flicked his earpiece to answer.He had a feeling Radek’s only previous experience of radio communication was of the ham radio variety and it showed.No matter how often Rodney berated him that it wasn’t necessary to start every transmission with his name and end with over, Radek often forgot himself.Or maybe he just kept at it to annoy Rodney. 

 

The more John got to know Radek, the more he suspected that it was the latter.As much as it was obvious that the two men liked and respected each other, they also had the ability to wind each other up like no other.John would describe their bond as brotherly if he wasn’t so estranged from his own brother.

 

“You’re go for Colonel Sheppard, Dr Zelenka.Over.” 

 

Maybe John enjoyed playing along a little bit too much but watching Rodney’s eye twitch was fun and he knew that (deep down) Rodney enjoyed the radio bit really.John was pretty sure Rodney would have had a CB or ham radio when he was a kid, probably one he built himself. 

 

John’s smile slipped off his face at Radek’s answering transmission.

 

“It is Rodney.He is - - The jumper bay, Colonel.Please come.Over and out.”

 

John was already out the door and half way to the nearest transporter by the time Radek had stopped talking.Maybe it was just the words ‘Rodney’ and ‘jumper’ together but John’s heart was racing in his chest. It had barely been a week since he and Radek had fished Rodney from the bottom of the ocean, the broken jumper almost completely filled with water.Rodney had only been let out the infirmary the day before and - - John jabbed at his destination on the transporter map hard enough that he felt his nail bend with the pressure. 

 

Was one week where McKay didn’t scare him half to death too much to ask?

 

The transporter let him out a football pitch’s length from the transporter bay and John took the remaining distance at a run, skidding on the hard floor as he rounded the door into the bay.The sight that greeted him made him stop so abruptly that he almost tripped up.

 

“Colonel, thank goodness.”Radek looked and sounded beyond relieved to see him. “I cannot - he won’t - I did not know who else to call.”

 

John barely glanced at Radek, his eyes were glued on Rodney. Rodney, who was curled up in a defensive ball in the corner of the jumper bay, rocking back and forth.His head was buried in his knees so John couldn’t hear what Rodney was saying clearly but he was saying something.The same something over and over and it wasn’t until John was kneeling right next to him that he could make it out.

 

“Wide open fields.Wide open fields.Wide open fields.”

 

John glared over his shoulder at Zelenka.“What the hell were you thinking, bringing him here?”

 

Radek’s eyes flashed in a strange mix of anger and remorse.“He asked to see the adjustments we made to the cloaking device.He wanted to see the jumper and - - I could not tell him no.Not after - - He was fine until he entered the jumper and then he - -“ Radek waved his hand in Rodney’s direction.“I did not know who else to call.”

 

John nodded at Radek, his mouth tight.It wasn’t Radek’s fault; he knew that; but every inch of him wanted someone to blame for the way Rodney was rocking back and forth, his head knocking against the wall with every rock backwards.Turning back to Rodney, John moved his hand so that the next time Rodney rocked back his head hit against John’s hand instead of the wall.

 

The change in sensation was enough to stop Rodney’s rocking altogether. 

 

That should have been good.It should have been a positive step but Rodney just curled tighter into himself and the mantra of ‘wide open fields’ was replaced by a high pitched whine.

 

John sucked in a deep breath and moved closer.“Rodney?Buddy?Can you hear me?”

 

Rodney made no indication that he could, just kept up with that high pitched whine that sounded more animal than human. 

 

“Hey, hey, sssh, please just - ”John pulled Rodney’s still curled form into his space and rested his chin on Rodney’s head.“I’ve got you, ok?Just, ssh, you’re safe.”

 

John crooned platitudes and shushed Rodney gently for what seemed like hours but was probably only a few minutes until Rodney started to uncurl.Rodney’s hands found John’s own and grabbed hold squeezing hard. 

 

“That’s it, buddy.” John felt himself collapse more fully onto the floor, dizzy with relief.“Sssh, c’mere, it’s ok.It’s - “

 

“Did you just shoosh me?” Rodney’s voice broke into John’s crooning, sounding reedy and thin but still ever so slightly outraged and John couldn’t help the laugh that bubbles out his throat.

 

“Yeah.I did.You want to tell me off for it?”

 

“I - - no, I, ah, you’re hugging me.”

 

“Well, you looked like you needed it,” John shrugged.“You want me to stop?”

 

“No.” Rodney’s answer was gratifyingly quick and John felt himself smile. 

 

They sat there quietly for a moment, before Rodney spoke up again.“I, ah, I think the jumpers might be a problem for me.For a while anyway.Is that - “

 

“Hey, you’re the one who always wants to take them,” John interrupted.“Teyla, Ronon and I are just fine walking.It’s no big deal.”

 

“Like the hugging?”

 

John frowned, not following the turn in conversation.

 

“The hugging’s no big deal either right?It’s.. I mean, it’s a friend looking after another friend right?”

 

John shifted uncomfortably.This wasn’t where he saw today going.It wasn’t...Rodney wasn’t ok and taking advantage of that would make him the biggest ass in two galaxies and - -

 

“Wide open fields.”

 

John pulled back at Rodney’s words, concerned about another panic attack and then it felt like he was the one who should be having the panic attack because Rodney leaned forward and kissed him and - -

 

“No, Carson, we don’t need any assistance.Colonel Sheppard has it under control, over.”

 

“Oh, for the love of - Zelenka!You do not need to finish every damn radio transmission with ‘over’!Do you have any idea what an idiot that makes you sound like?”

 

John didn’t even try to hide his grin as Rodney broke their kiss to rant at Radek’s radio habits. 

 

He was back.He was fine.He was going to be fine.

 

Rodney’s hand squeezed tight in John’s own, his thumb stroking gently down John’s palm as he berated Zelenka and John revised that statement.

 

It was going to be better than fine.It was going to be perfect.


End file.
